Growing Cauliflower in Australia: The Complete Guide
Cauliflower is a moderate to hard brassica to grow, needing full sun with consistent, deep watering.
We get asked about cauliflower often enough that it's worth setting out the full picture here, beyond what fits on our printable card.
Blanching keeps it white
For pure white heads, tie the outer leaves over the developing curd once it's egg-sized to block sunlight — this stops it yellowing or discolouring.
How to Plant Cauliflower
Method — transplant seedlings; firm well. Soil — rich, well-drained, consistently fertile. Timing — plant in cooler months; the most temperature-sensitive brassica.
Keeping It Growing Well
Worth paying attention to:
- Water deeply and consistently — stress causes small, poor-quality heads.
- Feed generously throughout growth.
- Tie outer leaves over the curd once it appears, to blanch it.
- Net against cabbage moth from planting.
Problems to Watch For
Keep these points in mind:
- Cabbage moth — net or hand-pick.
- Small, premature heads (buttoning) — from stress or checked growth; keep conditions steady.
- Clubroot — rotate beds, keep pH up.
- Boron deficiency — hollow stems; feed with compost or seaweed tonic.
When and How to Harvest
Signs — curd is tight, firm, and full-sized, before it starts to separate. Method — cut at the base with a sharp knife. Curing — none needed. Storage — fridge crisper, about a week.
For the condensed, printable version of everything above, head to the main cauliflower guide page.